Oxford City's fight for survival will go down to the wire after promotion-chasing Chester took all three points at the MGroup Stadium this afternoon with a 2-1 win.

Quick-fire goals from Fin Shrimpton  and Tom Davies gave the visiting team a 2-0 lead at half time and a trademark goal from Matty Taylor  proved to be not quite enough despite City throwing everything they had at the Chester defence in the closing stages. 

In glorious sunshine and in front of the biggest crowd of the season it was a high-tempo meeting right from the start, as you would expect with one team needing a win to fuel their play-off ambitions and the other desperate for the positive result that would confirm their survival

Chester had the early impetus but City were neat and creative up front with Taylor the focal point and Ewan Clark, Zac McEachran and Ashley Hemmings quick to join him. An early effort from Clark tested the handling of visiting keeper Jones but those two quick goals in three minutes killed the Hoops early momentum and ultimately left them with just too much to do.

The first goal came after 22 hitherto even minutes when Shrimpton headed home from six yards out- Canice Carroll claiming in vain to have cleared off the line. Three minutes later and centre-half Davies doubled the advantage with a superb strike from 25 yards that left even giant keeper Max Metcalfe unable to lay a glove on it.

To their credit City regained their composure and responded well and while the scoreline was harsh at the break they were deservedly back in the game eight minutes after the restart when Taylor did what Taylor does, ghosting in behind the defence and expertly steering a difficult chance past the bewildered Jones for his third goal in three games.

Now City went for it. An Ashby free kick was plucked from under the bar by the alert Jones, another flew to safety via a Chester ear. Sub Isaac Westendorf blasted a glorious chance straight at Jones who then made an incredible save as Jack Bearne looked to have levelled.

Hereford have two games left and must win them both to overtake City, King's Lynn and Curzon must both win their final games if they are to do the same.  It was never going to be easy was it? But let's make it even simpler. Win at Darlington and City survive...

CITY

Metcalfe, Burroughs (Roddy 46), Carroll, Johnson, Humphries, Ashby, Ellis, McEachran (Westendorf 69), Hemmings (Bearne 69), Clark, Taylor

SUBS
Potter, Scott, Wiggett, Humphrey-Ewers

Att: 1,335

Report by  John Ley,  pictures Darrell Fisher and Steve Daniels